Introductory Paragraph

Introductory Paragraph • An essay begins with an introductory paragraph • The introductory paragraph is made up of several parts • The Hook • Background information • Connecting phrases • Thesis Statement

Hook Techniques1st sentence of the introduction • Begin • With a question • With a quote • Startling fact • Striking image • Emotional or interesting story

Hook techniquesWhich type? • “In America today, no population poses a greater threat to the general public than juvenile criminals,” says Representative Bill McCollum, of Florida who his the author of a bill already approved by the House of Representatives that would allow offenders from age 13 on to be tried as adults in Federal Courts.

HookWhich type? • One afternoon in 1994, Megan Kanka, a little girl of 7, was riding her bike outside of her home in New Jersey when a neighbor asked her if she wanted to see his puppy. He then took her into his home, raped her, strangled her with a belt. The man, a twice convicted sex offender called Jesse Timmendequas, was sentenced to death in 1997.

HookWhich type? • Have you ever done anything dangerous, risky, or even illegal? Most of us probably has, most likely during our teenage years. As a teenager, we probably did not realize the long term consequences of our actions.

The HookWhich type? • In the United States, more than 80 people die each day of gun violence, making the United States the most violent of western societies. In an effort to curb this violence, gun control laws, such as the Brady Act, which requires gun dealers to run background checks on perspective buyers, have been passed.

HookWhich type? • The small shriveled body of Karen Quinlan continued to deteriorate. Unable to feed, communicate or take care of herself in any way, Ms. Quinlan remained in a vegetative state for ten long years, never to gain consciousness again. Can we say that Karen was “alive” or “living” for all of those long years?

Introductory Paragraph